Whywrite's Challenge: A Poem With A Bit of Advice
by A Reviewing Reader
Summary: My entry to Whywrite's challenge! Alfie/Joy friendship, with some Fabina and some Foy. Don't hate the pairings, just review-I'll write more Fabina soon!


Disclaimer: I don't House of Anubis

This is a Joy/Alfie friendship fic and has bits of Foy-yes, I'm sorry! But since the season is in a Foy mood at the moment (stupid Jerome, giving Joy the poem) so I thought this would be a good scenario to use. All in Joy's POV, and first part is about the time after the first episode, then the second part is after Joy reads the poem . . . obviously.

If any of you missed the last few episodes of House of Anubis this past week, like I did, Nick's site has all of Season 2 so far for you to watch. So yeah, just an FYI in case you didn't know.

Enjoy!

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><p>~Joy's POV~<p>

I walk into the kitchen, only to see Nina and Fabian studying homework and chatting excitedly. Fabian says something in her ear and Nina grins, throwing her arms around his shoulders.

A rush of jealousy shoots through me, and I turn on my heel to march into the kitchen, only to knock into an unsuspecting Trudy. Both of us yelp in surprise, but Trudy manages to not drop any of the fruit tarts on the tray she is holding.

"Sorry Trudy," I apologize, steadying the housemother with my free hand while the other one clutches the counter for balance. "I was just, spacing out or something and didn't see you."

"Oh, it's quite alright, dearie. Just setting these treats out for dessert." Trudy looks at my conflicted expression. "Is everything all right, Joy?"

"Uh, yeah. I'm fine," I say, not focusing. I look back at Nina and Fabian, and my blood runs cold when Nina plants a kiss on Fabian's cheek.

I take a deep breath, throwing a swift goodbye to Trudy as I hurry out of the room. The only thought in my mind: get out of there.

"Joy!" Trudy calls after me, but I don't stop running until I leave the house. I hear bits and pieces of conversation from other students at school as I run past those who are sitting in the grass beside the pavement:

"Why is she running?"

"Is that Joy Mercer?"

"Joy's crying?"

"What's going on?"

I ignore them all and keep running until I reach the edge of the woods where I was suppose to meet Patricia last term at the Prom. I bend down, hands on my knees, and take in huge breaths to regain my breath.

Tears run down my face for once, and it is so out-of-the-ordinary that I wonder how I can be crying-I never cry. I must look like a stupid, spoiled brat, throwing a fit like this. I press my palms to my eyes to stop the flow of water that is streaking down my face. But to no avail-my face is soon soaked wet with tears.

I sit on the ground, not even caring that I hadn't changed out of my uniform yet, so my skirt is getting covered in dirt; not even caring that I look like a mess because my makeup is ruined and my hair is windblown from running. I am just tired of caring about things.

Everything that I once loved is crumbling or slipping from my grasp.

Fabian is gone for good. He is head-over-heels for _her_, not looking at anyone but her. The fact that he did not smile at me when I sat next to him in class that first day of school: it told me everything. That I am not welcome in his world. His heart is too full of love for _her_. I need to move on, because he already has.

My relationship with my father is falling apart because I don't trust him anymore. I am afraid that if I tried reforming our relationship, he would ask me to gather information about the Cup of Ankh and the Elixir and how to stay young from Nina.

Nina. Nina. Nina. That girl is the cause of my problems. She takes everything of mine: my old crush is now Nina's boyfriend, she is the Chosen One that I trained for a year to become after being ripped from my old life; she is my replacement.

The crying stops but I don't remove my hands from my face, not wanting to take out a mirror and see my awful appearance. A hand on my shoulder makes me jump.

I remove my hands from my face and turn my head to see Alfie, of all people, standing there.

"What are you doing here?" we ask in unison.

"I'm trying to let off some steam about the Amber drama," Alfie says.

"You probably know why I'm here," I say, gesturing to my probably still-red eyes.

"Why are you crying?" he asks, sitting down across from me.

"Why do you think? 'Fabina'" -I make air-quotes with my fingers- "was being so coupley today. It literally just tore me apart. I couldn't take it," I say.

"I don't think 'coupley' is a word," Alfie mumbles quietly.

I shoot him a look, but continue, "She has taken so much of my life. The mystery that was meant for me. _I_ was supposed to be the Chosen One. Fabian would have been mine by now, I even knew he loved me: Amber had told me herself via Mick."

"Well, I don't know about Mick's information reliability, really, but Nina didn't steal your life-"

"Oh, don't tell me your siding with them, too!" I whine.

"Just hold on. I'm not siding with anyone. I'm trying to tell you the truth. Don't do anything drastic, Joy, because I know you and when you do something rash you always regret it in the end."

"How do you know what I'm like? We have barely spoken a sentence to each other the entire time we have known each other. Why now? Why the sudden care about my life?" I exclaim.

"Because I've been in your position. Mick's taken Amber from me before and now she just doesn't want to be with me. It tears me apart when she rejects me, and it wears on me, time after time," Alfie says, shaking his head. "Every time I've tried to get her to warm up to me has already failed."

"Why don't you give up on her already?" I ask, looking at all of the people that are milling around on the green grass. They are all holding hands and being lovey-dovey, and I miss that. Well, I miss hanging out with Fabian and being close like we used to. Even though it would be nice, I wouldn't even mind if we just hung out as friends. I just want to be a part of his life again.

"Why would I give up on her? I love her," he replies, putting his hands behind his head.

"Love? What's so good about love?" I spit out, masking my true thoughts about the topic.

"Love is what makes the world go 'round. It makes your heart stop and your head spin. It's the best thing we have in the world," he sighs.

"Wow, philosophical thinking, Alfie," I mutter, not paying attention.

"Love is the reason that you're so sad about Fabian and Nina," he says.

"Shut. It," I say, narrowing my eyes.

"You know I'm right," he points out.

I sulk for a moment, turning away and not wanting to accept what he's saying. Then, a plan slowly forms in my head: if I start to talk to him more when that Nina isn't hanging on his arm, which is all too often, in my opinion, then maybe he'll warm up to me again . . .

"Joy, listen to me." I glance at him, and he puts his hand on my shoulders so I look him straight in the eye. "Don't do anything drastic to ruin their relationship. It's not worth it," Alfie says.

I lie easily through my teeth, a smile on my face. "I won't, don't worry."

. . .

_"The quest was long and difficult_

_I sought treasure . . ._

_The treasure was you._

_love Fabian xx"_

His words ring in my head so many times I lose count. It is finally happening. He's mine. He loves me and not her. I finally have something back that I thought I lost!

My heart flutters in my chest, my breath quickening. I swiftly begin an improvised script of the speech he prepared for Mara, and then catch him smiling at me. His smile. I missed it so much. I finish speaking, and that's when the tarp falls down.

I go along with Patricia's little lie, and breathe a silent sigh of relief as the man in charge of the exhibition seems to go with it. After the applause, he says yes to us getting the exhibition, and I see Fabes hugging Nina. I don't mind, though, because he and I are together now, and that is totally a friendly hug.

I walk up to him, and put a hand on his shoulder to turn him around. I throw my arms around him. "Thank you for that!" I whisper to him.

He hugs me back, a little hesitantly, but that is normal for Fabian, since he's just a shy sort of person. "Oh. 'Thank you' for what?" he asks, sounding bemused.

Such a romantic thing for him to say! He's saying that I don't need to be reminded about being his treasure. Aw, my Fabes-he has such a way with words.

I pull away, smiling at him. Mr. Sweet pops my content moment by calling me over, but I don't mind. Fabes and I have a lot to catch up on, and we have _plenty_ of time to do it.

"Let me introduce you to the exhibitioner, Mr. Z-*" Mr. Sweet says, but I'm not really paying attention.

I hear Nina rant on about some mark, but I wasn't listening to her, either. I faintly heard her scream "who are you?" to some mirror and I swear she is going crazy; it must have been from the mystery last year. Whatever.

All I can think of is Fabian's bright blue eyes looking at me while I was on stage, sparkling like they used to, at me. _Me_. And when he hugged me back, I couldn't have asked for anything else I would have wanted but to have his arms around me like he did then. It was perfect.

Finally, after so much drama and unfairness of the world, I am actually happy.

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><p>*: I don't really know how to spell his name is because I didn't really catch what they said in the episode.<p>

Hope you enjoyed! Now review!

~Ary


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